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Find inspiration on your path to mental wellness. Please note, these articles are not a replacement for personal medical advice.
Whatever you’re experiencing be sure to take a moment to name and recognize the emotion, with curiosity, not judgement. The bottom line is that we are all going to have different emotional responses to the current crisis in front of us. As written by author Nicki Peverett, “we are in the same storm, but not in the same boat.”
When we validate our partner’s feelings we acknowledge and accept the way that they feel without judgement or rejection. However, when we respond to feelings with facts we often miss the opportunity to validate our partner’s feelings, in fact, we do just the opposite.
If you are LGBTQ and struggling with a mental health concern, please know that you are not alone, and that your mental health issues are not because you are LGBTQ.
Research demonstrates that people can remedy stress if they laugh more (casual leisure), find a hobby (serious leisure), and engage in meaning-making activities, such a volunteering in community or toward social causes (project-based leisure). So, where do you start?
Children want to feel that they are part of a family — that they belong just as much as any other family member biologically related or not. They want to feel included as if they were always meant to be there, not as if they are lucky to be there.
With bipolar disorder, your mood can change between the extremes of mania and depression, and ruminating thoughts often follow an all-or-nothing pattern. In times of uncertainty, it’s easy to convince yourself things will never get better. The good news is you don’t have to believe it.
Kids do not know how to communicate their experience. They do not know how to explain the survival strategies that have become normal for them, but are so obviously wrong in this new home. It can be exhausting to navigate.
It is important to keep in mind that everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. Whether you feel anxious or numb, your emotions and reactions are completely valid. Even those who have never struggled with a clinical mental health issue may experience symptoms of acute stress, anxiety, and depression.
In our society, men are frequently taught to be strong and quiet. Often times, men worry that seeking help will be an indication of vulnerability. Suppressing your feelings can make mental health worse.
How often do you catch yourself picturing the negative rather than the positive in a situation. Maybe some co-workers are talking and your first thought is, "I bet they are saying something bad about me." You are not alone.
For parents the wonderful aspiration of a memorable summer break often turns into the harsh reality of coordinating multiple events and schedules on top of all of our other responsibilities. It can feel like a whirlwind in which we are simply trying to keep up or too exhausted to actually enjoy.
What I've come to realize is that we cannot pause life in good times or bad times. I have heard phrases like “wait it out,” “stay home until this date,” and “we'll get back to our lives soon”. This creates an unhealthy expectation that we can resume life as normal once COVID-19 ends.
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